FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2017
XCEL ENERGY TO BRING SMART METERS AND “GREEN BUTTON CONNECT MY DATA” TO COLORADO
COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT FILED WITH PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Denver, CO – The Mission:data Coalition, a not-for-profit coalition of technology companies delivering energy savings for homes and businesses, announced that a settlement agreement was filed today with Xcel Energy for its $562 million proposed smart meter and grid modernization investment in Colorado. The settlement allows Xcel to install 1.5 million advanced electric meters throughout its territory while giving customers the ability to share their energy usage data with any technology provider of their choice, such as smartphone apps that help save energy and control utility costs.
Filed today at the Public Utilities Commission, the agreement calls for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to be deployed across Xcel’s service territory from 2020 to 2024. In 2020, a new customer web portal will feature “Green Button Connect My Data” functionality, allowing customers to share their energy data with software providers.
“Customers will be able to understand and control their energy usage,” said Michael Murray, President of Mission:data. “This settlement allows Coloradoans to realize the benefits of smart meters as they are installed. New data-driven energy management tools have emerged in the last few years, but these technologies need access to energy data in a consistent manner in order to function. The ‘Green Button Connect My Data’ standard provides that consistency. We are delighted that Colorado will be joining the ranks of other states like California where consumers have access to cost-effective energy management offerings.”
“Green Button Connect My Data” is an industry-led technical standard for exchanging energy usage data automatically. Originally championed by the White House under President Obama, the standard has been adopted by states including California, Illinois and New York. Mission:data estimates that over 23 million customers nation-wide currently have, or will soon have, access to Green Button Connect My Data functionality. If the settlement agreement is approved by the Commission, that number will rise to over 24.5 million.
Hearings at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission on the unopposed, comprehensive settlement agreement are scheduled in Denver May 16-17. The settling parties include: Public Service Company of Colorado, Trial Staff of the Public Utilities Commission, the Colorado Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC), the Colorado Energy Office, Colorado Energy Consumers, Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), the Energy Freedom Coalition of America (EFCA), Energy Outreach Colorado, Mission:data Coalition, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), and Western Resource Advocates (WRA).
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The Mission:data Coalition is a coalition of more than 40 energy management technology companies helping residential and business consumers save energy through advanced, data-driven technologies. Mission:data has worked in 14 states and the District of Columbia to advance consumer-friendly “data access” policies to help consumers save energy and money. More information can be found at www.missiondata.org.